Norwalk, CA
Quoted from chuckwurt:I’m not gonna sit here and take all this Big Game art Slander!!
Gerry Simkus and Doug Watson deserve better.
Next he'll want to redo Doug Watson's artwork on Sterns Scramble monitor bezel.
(Topic ID: 312454)
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Quoted from transprtr4u:I see a red door and I want to paint it black!
Someones been watching Westworld. 
Quoted from swampfire:OP made a big mistake picking a game with some of the best art of its era.
That along with Galaxy, Stargazer and Seawitch.
Quoted from MtnFrost:For some reason I can't find a good side shot of that cabinet?
pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png
... and why do I keep hearing the phrase "Shoot the Pyramid" when I look at a couple of those back-glasses?
Quoted from chuckwurt:Artist here. I think the art on every pinball machine is wonderful.
Quoted from punkin:Yes, but Tron.
Also Lazy. And not that good.
Quoted from punkin:I think spiderman looks like shit, but Tron is just beautiful. Specially with the lenticular backglass.
TRON's Back Glasses look okay to Exceptionable for the Lenticular one. The Playfield Photoshop fest does not though.
Quoted from MtnFrost:That's awesome. The artist is drawing in a specific stylized way, this is done on purpose.
Head Desk.gifQuoted from swampfire:You posted 2 pictures that look almost identical to me, and I’m viewing them on a large iPad Pro. The ONLY difference I see is in the “after” it looks she doesn’t have a neck, or like she’s ducking.
try going to the image view, then click on the "Next" arrow over and over and see how her head is no longer lined up with her neck, the left arm is messed up and her head looks like it got bigger.
BTW, let's look at the uncropped version of the picture:
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... all in the name of "Art".
edit: "...her head looks like it got bigger"
Quoted from jellikit:[quoted image]
Quoted from MtnFrost:I'm an artist - and artwork is a big factor in what pinball machines I like. However, as you all know, the quality of the artwork on pinball machines has varied wildly from gorgeous to butt ugly (looking at you, Flash and Genesis). Artists don't get paid enough or get valued enough. I thought it'd be fun to hear about artwork you think could have been better, and what you would have done. I'll start with Stern Big Game. These "cards" on the playfield are horrible. I would have used African shields to marry the foliage theme, and possibly sneak in stereotypical big game hunter somewhere in the jungle mix.
Remember, you have to suggest what you think would have been a better solution, so this isn't just another rant thread. Are you game? (get it?)
[quoted image]
If you don't like the cards, you probably haven't played the game or don't understand it.
And as others have said here, the card designs are kind of a throw back to pins from the late 40's to the early sixties.
"... Remember, you have to suggest what you think would have been a better solution, so this isn't just another rant thread."
So in other words, suggesting not changing anything is out? Yeah, this thread started out as a rant.
Quoted from jellikit:[quoted image]
Is it wrong to refer to her as Knuckled Wristed Lady" in the "edited" version?
... how about "Shoulder Mole Lady"?
Quoted from swampfire:This wins the internet for today.
... Day's still early ...
Quoted from MtnFrost:I always thought it's a shame there isn't artwork on the playfield upper arches for a lot of EMs. Later of course everyone did do plastics there, so I'm glad that change happened. But for these blank white areas, there's opportunity. To suggest something, the art would have to be done in the same style as the pin, maybe carrying some of the backglass art onto the table. I did start working on some art for one of the titles, but life got in the way of finishing. What do you think? Any favorite machine from that era you'd like to see additional art on it's upper arches?
[quoted image]
How about NONE!
Quoted from Medisinyl:I was at a circus two months ago. The woman that did the aerial silk act looked just like the original Cheetah artwork More of a confident bad-ass with her strong arms and upright posture, befitting of a crazy cat lady huntress that was told the kittens were merely Bengal cats, yet learned to wrastle them .
You ask for artistic opinions, yet keep suggesting your superior artistic knowledge proves those opinions to be lesser, which is off-putting. [quoted image]
Careful, keep making references like that and he'll search out other back glasses to berate:
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(...and, yeah, Gottlieb's Circus is one of those games that the back glass art doesn't match the playfield art, but I wouldn't change them. They both look fine.)
Quoted from mbaumle:I went to school with a couple people who became artists. One of them is an engineering draftswoman, but she does incredible art pieces in her free time. I approached her a few months ago about possibly doing a pinball related commission piece (which was to do a redrawing of BSD's backglass in a similar style that Aurich did with Shadow).
She was really enthusiastic about it, until I told her the dimensions of a backglass. She reeled at how large it was, and how much time it would take, and that she never even attempted to draw anything that large with that much detail. I never really thought about how detailed these things need to be both up close and from far away, but after she explained to me how much work it would take her, she politely declined.
Anyway, moral is, after our conversation I have a ton of respect for the art pieces on these games and the crazy amount of work that has to go into them. Art appreciation is completely subjective anyway, and while I may not personally like it all, I can still appreciate it all. They're all products of their times.
Quoted from swampfire:Remember that this was 1979, before we turned into a nation of fitness freaks. I think the rolls are accurate, given her pose. My only problem is with the choice of model, who looks nothing like the real Mata Hari. But the backglass art is so damned good, it’s hard to get too upset about it.
[quoted image]
Quoted from ReadyPO:Interesting enough - that photo has been modified by colorization - the original was in black and white. This is also controversial in some quarters. I had seen the original but not the colorized version - I like it. Found another one
I happen to love the artwork and the slightly rubenesque Mata Hari portrayed - but both my wife and I love the game play, especially the a b loop - appropriate for a "double spy" I think.
[quoted image]
the "Colorized photo looks almost photo realistic,
but in truth it isn't.
As good as the colorized version looks, it's not real. We don't know what the real colors are, and the background is almost entirely removed.
This is just as bad as changing the existing art on a game.
Quoted from punkin:How can it be 'bad'?
It's in addition to the original art, not in substitution of it. So if you like to look at the original, do so, if you like to look at both do so.
Nothing 'bad' about it. It's new art made from old art in a non destructive fashion.
Read it again, I'm talking about replacement art.
Quoted from MtnFrost:I really don't like clowns, so circus themes aren't my cup of tea. Having said that, I like these. They are well rendered. Gottlieb had some really amazing backglasses in this era. I don't think I understand your comment about the playfield though - they DID carry the artwork into it, married it to the backglass. Beautiful stuff.
You seriously think this artwork is done by the same artist and that it looks just like the art on the back glass?!?
pasted_image (resized).png
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It's like Future Spa or Grand Lizard. The only difference is that the playfield and back glass both have GOOD artwork.
I do have to point out in, uh ... defense... of a lot of the movie, comic book and some other license properties. Most companies have "Style guides" that other companies that license out a product have to follow. you literally have art that's provided, and / or have to follow certain guidelines on what you can or cannot do with the graphic appearance of the license. That may unfortunately explain why a lot of Stern, JJ, etc. have Photoshopped playfields or Backglasses.
https://www.cbr.com/the-entire-1982-dc-comics-style-guide-is-online-and-amazing/
https://www.coroflot.com/jsantomero/Marvel-Corporate-Style-Guide-Marvel
Not sure that explains The Last Action Hero though.
Quoted from MtnFrost:That backglass is just lazy photoshop. Reminds me of one of my favorite poster artists, Drew Struzan. He remarked that he had to retire because the studios found it cheaper to make photoshop heads.
Quoted from TheLaw:Hey now. That artist was kind of a big deal in the day
pasted_image (resized).pngQuoted from KJS:I've never owned a DE game as I always cringed at the artwork on most of them. Thanks for the video now I know who was behind it all !!! Nice you guys over there have your very own Warwick Capper
Still would like a minty Time Machine though one day!
Those faces on Rush...wow. Reminds me I was super keen on Houdini as I loved the theme and wanted it alongside my Theatre of magic...then I saw that face on the playfield and was instantly turned off the game.
That and two back glasses that make me think "Shoot the Pyramid!"
Not saying that they should change any of them though.
2 months later
Quoted from MtnFrost:That's a really interesting take on it. I have been a Godzilla fan since I was a kid watching films like Destroy All Monsters and Rodan. I've seen the game, and now that you mention it, that is exactly why I haven't been interested in playing it. Too many candy colors. Like you said, the artist did a great job, just maybe not the one you and I would have preferred.
I mostly don't like the art on Godzilla or Rush. But at least I tried them both for free when they were at Wondercon* this year (and The Mandelorian).
pasted_image (resized).png
I can say I Might play Godzilla again, but it didn't really grab me. Not because of the art but I didn't like the play that much.
Rush, I hated the whole package. I'd never put money into one of those. the art was the least of the problems with that game for me.
But at least I tried them.
*And thanks to Orange County Pinball for bringing them.
Quoted from MtnFrost:I saw them there. Since they were being played, and because I don't really like new Sterns, I skipped them. But it was cool to see pinballs there! Definitely a big thank you to OC Pinball.
I'm curios to see if they have the Pinball Lounge at San Diego Comic Con this year.
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